Florida communities celebrating the festive occasion include:
TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER
The Federation of Indian Associations of Tampa Bay (FIA of Tampa Bay) will celebrate India Independence Day on Sunday, Aug. 19, at the India Cultural Center, 5511 Lynn Road. The day begins at 10 a.m. with various competitions and exhibits on display; flag hoisting at 1:30. The daylong schedule includes rangoli, cooking, kids fancy dress, youth art and essay competitions, and a cultural talent show. A blood donation drive will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. For more information, call FIA President Ramnarayanan Mani at (201) 238-4263 or Event Chair Jigisha Desai at (813) 731-7747.
FORT LAUDERDALE (SOUTH FLORIDA)
The Association of Indians in America (AIA) South Florida chapter will hold India Independence Day celebrations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Admission is free. On the agenda is cultural entertainment of music and dance (from 1 p.m.), Indian food and fashion. For details, call AIA at (240) 800-6811 or email [email protected]
ORLANDO/CASSELBERRY/ALTAMONTE SPRINGS
Hindu Society of Central Florida will celebrate India’s Independence Day on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the mandir community hall and temple grounds, 1994 Lake Drive, Casselberry. Admission is free and parking is $5. There will be a cultural program and vendor booths will offer food, clothing, jewelry and more. For information, call Dipti Smart at (321) 695-4422 or visit www.hindutempleorlando.org
Also, Indian Cultural Society of Orlando will celebrate India Independence Day with a cultural program on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. at Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs. Entry is free. For information, call Raj Patel at (407) 335-0485 or Prashant Saoji at (321) 460-0800.
BARTOW/PLANT CITY/LAKELAND
The Bhartiya Samaj of Central Florida will hold Independence Day and picnic at 11 a.m. at Mary Holland Park, 2015 Shumate Drive, Bartow. Cost per person is $25. For more information, call Subhash S. Patel at (863) 648-0294 or visit www.bscfl.com
JACKSONVILLE
The Indian Cultural Society of Jacksonville will celebrate India’s Independence Day 4 p.m. onward on Saturday, Aug. 11, at UNF, Robinson Theatre, 1 UNF Drive. Theme is unity in diversity. On the agenda are drawing and photography competitions, dances of India, etc. For details, email [email protected] or visit www.jaxics.org
SPACE COAST (MELBOURNE)
The Indian Association of the Space Coast will hold India Day celebrations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hibiscus Blvd., in Melbourne. Admission is free. For information, call (321) 591-2672 or visit www.iascbrevard.com
GAINESVILLE
India Cultural and Education Center (ICEC) Youth Group will celebrate India's Independence Day from 6:15 (food will be served followed by cultural program) on Saturday, Aug. 18, at Kanapaha Middle School, 5005 S.W. 75th St., Gainesville. For details, visit www.icec-florida.org
NAPLES/FORT MYERS AREA
India Association of Naples will celebrate Independence Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (flag hoisting at 10:40 followed by cultural programs and lunch) on Saturday, Aug. 18, at South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway, Naples. Cost is $10 per family for members; non-members pay $10 per adult and $5 for kids. For details, email [email protected]
TALLAHASSEE
India Association of Tallahassee (IATLH) will hold its annual Utsav/India Heritage Day from 4 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 18 at Chiles High School, 7200 Lawton Chiles Lane. The free event is to celebrate India's Independence Day and showcase talents of community members. For details, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.iatlh.org
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Credit goes to local leaders across Florida for keeping us informed about events happening in the community. We request organizers remember our deadline, the 20th of every month when promoting activities. We hope we have kept you connected to your culture with our coverage of community events and look forward to feedback and story suggestions. Please do share Khaas Baat with your Florida friends. Also, we welcome Letters to the Editor and ideas on how we can better serve the Indian American community in Florida.
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APAI IN SOUTH FLORIDA (FORT LAUDERDALE) CELEBRATES 20-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AUG. 25
Ustad Irshad Khan
The Association of Performing Arts of India (APAI) celebrates its 20th anniversary with a legendary Indian movie “The Music Room” at Savor Cinema. It will be followed by dinner at the Mary N. Porter Riverview Ballroom, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and wraps up with a Surbahar and Sitar Concert. All events will take place on Saturday, Aug. 25, in Fort Lauderdale.
Directed by Satyajit Ray, the 1958 “The Music Room” has one of the most evocative moody opening scenes ever filmed, according to the late film critic Roger Ebert. A middle-aged man stares obliviously into space as his servant scurries toward him with a hookah, like the water pipe smoked by the Cheshire Cat in “Alice in Wonderland.” The passion of his life is to hold expensive concerts in the music room of his crumbling palace, still showing it off, while his money runs out. Tickets are $15 for the 2:30 p.m. movie, which will be shown at Savor Cinema, 503 S.E. Sixth St.
Dinner, featuring savory Indian dishes, will be served at 5 p.m. at the Broward Center (201 S.W. 5th Ave.) A traditional sitar concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. inside the Amaturo Theater. It will feature Ustad Irshad Khan on surbahar and sitar, and Shankhachur Lahiri on tabla. They will play music from the Imdadkhani Gharana musical legacy. Tickets for the dinner and concert are available at: www.browardcenter.org
Shankhachur Lahiri
Proceeds will support the Association of Performing Arts of India Legacy Fund at Florida Atlantic University’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. The endowed fund will be used to promote and showcase the music and dance of India. For information about contributing to the APAI Legacy Fund at FAU, visit fauf.fau.edu/PerformingArtsofIndia
The Broward Center is at 201 S.W. Fifth Ave.
